Experts & Staff
WRI brings together nearly 1,900 staff and experts who are leaders in their fields. Their work spans topics such as food and land use, energy, cities, economics, finance, governance and more. Our staff and researchers work globally and in 12 focus countries to meet people’s essential needs, to protect and restore nature, and to stabilize the climate and build resilient communities. Contact our media team to arrange an interview with any of our experts.
Program Experts & Staff
Merve Akı Yaman
Senior Urban Mobility Manager, WRI Türkiye
Natalia Akopian
Policy & Government Affairs Associate
Ayça Bağcı
Senior Manager, European Union Projects, WRI Türkiye
Tsvetilena Bandakova
Program Manager, Nature Crime Alliance
Meltem Bayraktar
Senior Program Manager, Urban Efficiency & Climate, WRI Türkiye
Tatiana Bogdanova
Product Specialist, Global Forest Watch, Data Lab
Jelena Bukin
Senior Accountant
Günes Cansiz
Director, WRI Türkiye
Jenny Chen
Global Electric Mobility Research Intern, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
Çiğdem Cörek Öztaş
Senior Manager, Sustainable Urban Development, WRI Türkiye
Sod-Erdene Davaadorj
Grants and Finance Manager, Cities4Forests and Natural Infrastructure Initiative
Irina Didenko
Grants and Finance Specialist, Cities4Forests
Elena Esipova
Satellite Data Analyst
Mengpin Ge
Associate II, Climate Program
Despina Gkotsidou
Program Assistant, Data Lab Product Studio
Shuwei Guan
Staff Accountant
Arya Harsono
Research Analyst II, New Climate Economy
Celal Tolga Imamoglu
Senior Manager, Transport & Road Safety, WRI Türkiye
Asena Johnson
Event Coordinator
Bo Li
Research Associate II
Xingyan Lin
Data Intern, Systems Change Lab
K. Zé Liu
eMobility Research and Visualization Analyst, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
Victoria Malolina
Staff Accountant
Cait O'Donnell
Learning Manager, Gender and Social Equity
Cemil Oğuz
Manager, Urban Mobility, WRI Türkiye
Gülcan Orak
Urban Planner, WRI Türkiye Sustainable Cities
Iryna Payosova
Economist, Climate Action
Sevdalina Rukanova
Head of Foundation Relations, Europe
Guly Sabahi
Senior Advisor, Climate Finance
Tina Schneider
Director, Forest Governance and Policy
Lucie Schwartz
Development Specialist
Howard Shih
Senior Associate, Science Based Targets initiative
Donald Spencer
Global Grants and Contracts Director
HJ Toh
Visiting Fellow, Global Forest Watch
Tini Tran
Director, Global Communications and Engagement, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
Thet Hein Tun
Senior Transportation Research Associate, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
Tuğçe Üzümoğlu
Integrated Climate Action Manager, Urban Efficiency & Climate, WRI Türkiye
Romain Warnault
Senior Project Manager
Mei Xu
Land Accelerator Intern
Lucy Yang
Communications and Research Associate, Executive Office
